Jakus the Argonian
by jakusthegamer
Summary: A young Argonian boy, freed from the slave trade, going on many adventures. His main goal is to stop the Dunmer from trading more of his people. Will he die by the Dunmer, or will he free his people?
1. Chapter 1: It begins

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Elder Scrolls, I just own my characters.**

"Where am I?" the child questioned. A sack covered his face, making it hard to see. All he could hear was the sound of wooden wheels rolling on the ground.

"Quiet back there!" yelled a man. He sounded old, about 40.

"So, what's the deal with the kids?" said another man. This one sounded younger.

"They're to be brought to Skyrim in Windhelm." said the old man.

"I don't like the slave trade." The young man said. He paused for a moment. "I guess there's nothing we can really do. Dunmer are not very fun to anger, and they hate when people mess with their slaves."

"I make fifty septims for every child we bring to them. The coin feeds my children. If that means that a bunch of lizards are put under a Dunmer's foot, then I don't care." said the old man.

"What if we let a few go? I mean, they're just kids." said the young man, feeling pity for the children.

"We could, but the Dunmer would most likely find out." said the old man.

"Our quota is 5 a month, we have 6. Why not let one go?" the young man said.

"And where would they go? They're kids, hundreds of miles from Black Marsh, with nowhere to go." the old man stated.

"I'll take one with me. Maybe they'll be able to do something about this filthy business!" said the young man.

"Fine, grab one from the front and hide it. But be forewarned, if you get caught, don't come crawling to me for help." said the old man.

The child heard the man reaching back to grab one of the children. He then felt a hand grab his shirt. He pulled the child up and into his lap. "Here, let me take that sack off. I wanna see the face of my new friend."

The man pulled the sack from the child's face, revealing a cute little Argonian boy. The child looked scared, afraid of what the new face would do to him. "Please don't hurt me." The boy said, a tear rolling down his face.


	2. Chapter 2: Shinko

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Elder Scrolls, I just own my characters.**

The face the Argonian boy saw was rugged, but warm. The man he saw before him looked like a caring person. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." said the man. "What's your name?"

"J..J…Jakus…. My name is Jakus…" said the child, hesitant to answer. He was remembering the events that had passed only three days ago. It was a nice Dunmer who he remembered. He was nice, treating the kids like his own, until that day. The Dunmer betrayed their trust and gave them to traders. They went from person to person all because of that Dunmer. It only seemed right that he was hesitant to trust a new face.

"I like that name. It has a nice ring to it. I feel like I should tell you mine, seeing as you'll be living with me. My name is Shinko. I'm a Nord straight from Skyrim." said the man, trying to gain the young boy's trust.

"Nord? What's a Nord?" asked the boy.

"I see they didn't teach you of the other races did they?" asked the man.

"I guess not…" said the boy, starting to get a smile. He felt comfortable near Shinko.

"It's gonna be a long ride till we get to Skyrim, so I packed a few snacks… Do you like sweet rolls?" asked the man, pulling out a bag from his tunic. "I'll even let you have some of my wine if you'd like." he said with a smile.

"What about my friends?" asked Jakus.

"They'll be given away to Dunmer. They'll be workers for them at the Windhelm docks. Some will eventually be given their freedom." Shinko said. "I would free all of you, but the Dunmer are cruel to all, killing anyone who messes with their slaves."

"Then why free me?" asked Jakus.

"I would feel horrible if you all became slaves. I feel that, if one of you were freed, you'd be able to stop slave trading all together… Understand?" asked Shinko.

"Yeah… Maybe I can stop the slave trading… I'll miss my family though." said Jakus.

"I'll be your new family." said Shinko.

The cart suddenly stopped. "Time to feed the kids." said the old man.


	3. Chapter 3: Salvation

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Elder Scrolls, or their characters, I just own my own characters.**

Snow, something Argonians don't normally see, was now falling all over Jakus. He felt happy, even under these circumstances. His joy would not last long however.

As the cart got closer to Windhelm, the snow got thicker and faster. "Here." said Shinko, handing Jakus a cowl. "It'll protect your face from the snow." Jakus put the cowl over his head, and pulled up his shirt to cover his face. He then moved closer to Shinko for warmth. Shinko put his arm over Jakus, trying to keep him warm.

"Seams the kid's takin' a liking to yah." said the old man. "Well, looks like we'll be at the docks in just a few minutes. Sorry that you'll have to see the other kids taken away, but this is the world we live in. It's a cruel world, a cruel world without forgiveness." he said with a bitter taste. Jakus heard how he said this, and felt the old man's lower hate for trading slaves.

The snow started to get even thicker, indicating that they were much closer to their destination. Windhelm, home of the High King of Skyrim. Shinko was excited to be back in his home land, but Jakus was afraid of his future in this new land. Skyrim and Black Marsh are completely different, and he was right to be skeptical.

As they entered the area of Windhelm, a caravan began to move towards them. "Hey! The trade is at the White River dock, make sure to have the kids ready when you get there!" yelled the driver of the other caravan.

"Alright!" yelled Shinko in confirmation. "I'm gonna need you to get down and hide under this blanket." Shinko told Jakus, handing him a blanket. Jakus sat down next to Shinko and covered himself in the warm blanket.

They went straight to the dock and got ready to give the kids away. Jakus didn't uncover himself, as to spare himself of what he would see. But, what he heard was worse than anything he could ever imagine: children crying, the cracks of whips, and Dunmer laughs. The atrocities he heard made him want to cry as he spoke these words, "No matter what it takes, I will make them pay. Soon, the Argonians will be dominant of the Dunmer. I will one day lead my people to salvation."


	4. Chapter 4: Getting Situated

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

"Well, here we are, home sweet home." said Shinko, closing the front door of his home. His home was not one of perfection, that was for sure.

"I like it!" said Jakus. His old home was just mud and sticks, so this was definitely an improvement.

"Really, it looks like a dump to me... Even smells like one." he said laughingly.

Jakus sat on the floor, ready to hear any of the rules he would have to follow. "Anything I should know?" he asked.

"Hmmm, I only have a few rules for yah: one, don't stay up late; two, keep clean; and three, don't eat anything without asking first." he said, trying to make his small rules clear.

"Is that all?" asked Jakus, surprised at how freely he'd be living. "So where do I sleep?"

"I'll make you cot next to my bed. It'll be temporary, until I can make you your own bed." Shinko said, stretching his arms as he yawned. "Unless you want to share the bed? It's big, so I won't mind. Plus softer."

"Sharing sounds fine. I get scared at night, so I'd rather sleep close to someone." Jakus said, remembering his fear of the dark. He was only 8 years old, so he wasn't ashamed.

A few hours had passed, and dinner was ready. "Supper time kid!" yelled Shinko yo Jakus. The smell of meat and bread flowed through the house, making it smell a lot better.

"Smells good." Jakus said, admiring the food before him. He sat down, getting ready to dig in. "Thank Sithis, I was starving!"

Shinko disregarded what Jakus said, forgetting that Argonians praised the void instead of any of the nine divines. "I made this specially for you." Shinko said, grabbing a plate of boiled fish.

Jakus' face lit up with joy at the sight of fish. "I love fish!" he yelled, happier than ever. Shinko sat the plate down, and no sooner than it had appeared, it was gone.

"I can tell that yah do." Shinko said, watching Jakus wipe food off his face. Jakus started to laugh, and so did Shinko. They could tell that they were going to be good friends.

It was finally time for bed. Jakus was wearing the clothes he was freed in, and Shinko had his pajamas on. They both got into bed. Shinko told Jakus to sleep at the foot, as to not make it weird.

"Night kid. We got a big day tomorrow, so make sure to get plenty of sleep." Shinko told Jakus. He was planning on taking Jakus out to chop wood to make him a bed, so he'd need Jakus at full strength. It was was funny, he only truly met the kid today, but he felt like he was a new dad to him. 'Haha, It's like I have a kid of my own.' he thought to himself. 'Making him food, letting him sleep with me cuz he's scared... Mom would be proud of me, I know she would.'

"Night..." Jakus said, with a sudden bout of sadness. Tonight was going to be a long one. The last time he slept was in that wretched cart, and he hadn't missed it at all. What he did miss, was his home.


	5. Chapter 5: Belethor

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

When morning rolled around all seemed right. Jakus was still sleeping, and Shinko was making him breakfast. They were like a regular family.

"I hope he likes beef steak for breakfast.." Shinko said to himself.

As soon as he finished, he heard a rustling in his room. He knew it was Jakus, ready to eat. He sat the table in preparation of **The Beast With a Thousand Stomachs **to get there.

"Breakfast is ready!" he yelled upstairs. "Get it while it's hot!"

Out on the wooden table laid: Steak, eggs, milk, and fresh bread. It was all set up for the two of them like a feast for two kings. "Oh boy, I can't wait to dig in!" yelled Jakus as he ran down the stairs in his dirty rags.

"Good, you'll need it for energy. We're going out to do a lot: getting you new clothes, getting wood to make you a bed, and hunting for toys." Shinko told him, trying to get his spirits higher than they had ever been in his short Argonian life.

"New clothes? Really?" Jakus asked in his happiest tone of voice. He'd always worn rags, he had never worn anything better.

"Yep!" Shinko confirmed. "We don't want you wearing the same thing forever do we?"

Jakus sat down, hopping with energy already, and began to eat the meal before him. He began to feel a sense of warmth, warmth that only a family can bring.

Right after breakfast they headed out the door into town. First to Belethor's trade goods to get Jakus new clothes and bedding. The guard outside seemed tough, but gave Jakus a flower to show him that he meant no harm to the young Argonian.

As they entered, a man jumped up and rushed towards them. "Welcome to Belethor's trade goods, can I help you with anything. Maybe you'd be interested in a brand new Breton made chair?" the man said in excitement. "Well hello there, what a cute little child! What's your name big man?" he asked Jakus, admiring how cute he was.

"I'm Jakus." he said, happy to meet someone new.

"What a tough name, I wouldn't want to get in a tussle with you!" he said, playing of course.

"We need to get Jakus here some new clothes. We also need a bed sheet and cover." Shinko said, telling Belethor straight up what he needed.

"Of course!" said Belethor, rushing to get what they needed. "So, where'd the kid come from?"

"I freed him from slavery. Figured I'd take care of him. It's funny, it's like he's my own son… If I had one." Shinko said.

A moment of silence followed Shinko's statement. Belethor took advantage of the silence and got all that they needed. He even grabbed a small piece of candy for Jakus. "Here you are good sir, a blanket, sheet, and a few pillows!" he said as he placed everything on the counter. "I also got the kid a piece of taffy!" he said as he handed Jakus the candy.

Jakus didn't know what taffy was, but he was about to find out. He immediately tossed it in his mouth and chomped down. As soon as he bit down, a light of pure passion fell over his face. "Mmmmmm, shis ish sho good!" he said, trying to speak with the candy keeping him from speaking right.

"Ha ha ha! Kid's never known the delight of taffy has he?" Belethor said with amusement at the boy's struggle to speak.

"What about the clothes?" asked Shinko.

"Riiight!" Belethor said, realising his mistake. "What color?" he asked, pulling down a crate from the shelf above the shop counter.

"Red!" said Jakus, excited to shed the rags he was wearing. He was right to be excited, the rags he had on were covered in mud and blood from the cart he traveled in for a month. He was jumping for joy, the cutest thing Shinko and Belethor had ever seen. His smile was so big that no one would try and stop it. "I can't wait to put it on… After I wash of course." he said, laughing at the end.

"After we get the lumber for your bed. I'm sure you'll get even dirtier when we go chopping." Shinko said after putting fifty-two septims on the counter. "I hope this is enough."

"Since I like yah, I'll let yah keep ten of your coin. Call it a welcome home gift for the kid." Belethor said with a smile. He then handed everything to Shinko, making sure to put the clothes on top, along with some more taffy for Jakus.

After getting what they needed from Belethor, they went home and left the supplies. Then they headed to the woodland area near their home. They scouted a good tree and set forth to chop it down.

"We only need a little for the bed, the rest can be used for firewood." Shinko told Jakus as he struck the tree with his axe. The tree then fell with a mighty crash.

"I can't wait to get home and get to bed. I'm just so tired." Jakus said, yawning after.

After they chopped the wood and made the bed, they went straight home and went to bed. It had been a long day for them, and they deserved the sleep.


	6. Chapter 6: Lydia

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

*knock knock*

Someone was knocking at their door, and they had no idea who it was. Jakus ran to the door, wanting to know who the visitor was. When he opened the door, a tall man stood before him.

"I have a letter for Shinko Romi from Riften." he said as he grabbed the letter from his knapsack at his side. He pulled out the dirty piece of paper and showed it to Shinko, now standing behind Jakus.

"Hmmm..." he said as he started to read the letter. A sudden look of sadness overcame his face. "Jakus... Pack your bags." he said, patting him on the head.

"Where we going?" Jakid asked.

"I'm sorry to bring such horrible news." said the courier, understanding Shinko's grief.

"It's fine... Thank you." Shinko said as he handed the man a few coins. He then shut the door, showing that the conversation was over.

"What's wrong?" Jakus asked, feeling that Shinko was overwhelmed with sadness.

"My mother is dying." he answered. "I'm going to have you stay at a friend of mine. She'll watch over you as I go visit her."

Jakus felt bad for Shinko, he knew the pain of losing those he loved. Jakus grabbed Shinko's leg, hugging it, trying to make him feel better. It worked, but only slightly. "Thanks." he said as he wiped away some tears.

Shinko had left Jakus with a woman named Lydia. She was a tough lass who knew her way around a blade, she was also very beautiful. When he dropped Jakus off, she promised to teach him how to fight.

"You don't have to, but you can try." he told her as he left for Riften. Jakus was only eight, and he doubted that he'd pay attention.

After Shinko left, the two headed toward the woodlands to train. Although she was tough, she couldn't help but be infatuated by Jakus.

As they walked to the woods, Jakus couldn't help but chase the small creatures. "Stop chasing those butterflies and get over here." she told him as she pulled out a dagger from he pocket.

"Okay..." he sighed. He didn't really care to learn about fighting, all he cared about was having fun.

"So, do you know any special fighting skills?" Lydia asked as she handed him the tiny blade.

"My friend Toma once taught me how to use magic." he answered.

"What kind of magic?" she asked as she pondered his magical abilities.

"I learned how to heal myself." he said. "I'm not very good at it though. He also taught me how to make fire in my hands."

"Those are both very good skills. If we can get you to master them, you'll truly be able to handle yourself in battle." Lydia said as she put the dagger she was holding back into her pocket. She knew that she wouldn't need it to train him, as he would most likely become a mage.

"He also taught me to use 4 daggers at once!" Jakus said.

This put a look of wonder on Lydia's face. She had never heard such a thing before. 'Four daggers at once?' she thought, that sounds very different. "How?" she asked.

"Well, I use my tail to hold one, and put another in my mouth. I put the other two in my hands." he answered.

"Demonstrate." she told him, wanting to see it for herself.

Jakus looked around and grabbed 3 sticks. He then placed the dagger in his mouth, wrapped his tail around one stick, and held the other two in his hands. He then took a fighters stance.

"Hmm... I like that you take advantage of having a tail." Lydia stated. "Now, if we can get you to hone your skills, nobody would think to mess with you."

All day they trained, from the time Shinko left, until time for dinner. Jakus may have been a child, but he knew quite a bit about fighting. Lydia was so impressed with his skills, she cooked him three fish for supper.

After dinner, they went to bed. Lydia had been told of Jakus' fear of the dark, so she let him sleep in her bed. He was out within minutes, and so was Lydia. 'Today was was long, but worth it.' Lydia thought to herself as she fell to sleep. 'But tomorrow will be longer.'


	7. Chapter 7: Fighter's Stance

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any Elder Scrolls characters, just the ones that I make myself. (But some in game characters may make appearances)**

_"Foolish child..." the voice said. The voice was dark and rugged. "Argonians will never be free."_

_"What!" yelled the child in frustration. "I'll free all of my people, you'll see!"_

_"Hahahaha!" the voice laughed. "You may try, but you'll only DIE!"_

A flash, and Jakus awoke. He had been dreaming, but of what? He didn't know what the dream was of, all he knew was that it made him very angry.

Lydia felt the child beginning to rise from bed. "What's wrong kid?" she asked. "It's to early for you to wake up."

"I don't know... Just a nightmare." he told her as he laid back down, tugging the cover slightly.

"If you need to talk about it, let me know." she told him as she put her hand on his forehead to check for a fever. She didn't feel a temperature, so she laid her hand back down.

Jakus began to cry, tears flowing from his eyes. "I just want to see my friends again..." he sobbed. Lydia heard this, and felt sorry for the child. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. Her hug was gentle, yet firm.

"Hush now, it'll all be okay. You'll see them again, you will." she said, reassuring the child. She didn't want to hear him cry and break her heart. In an effort to comfort him, she began to sing, the beautiful words flowing like gold.

'_Hush little baby don't you cry...' _she sang to him, and made him stop. He felt comfortable with this woman, as though she were his own mother. After a few verses, he fell back to sleep. The rest of the night was calm, with no more nightmares from the mind of the child_. _He slept like a log until morning.

* * *

Morning finally arrived and Jakus was excited. He was ready to learn more about fighting. But when he entered the kitchen, Lydia was still in her sleeping attire. She was sitting down at the table, reading a book. She didn't look like she was ready to go out and train, not in the slightest.

"What's going on?" he asked, puzzled as ever.

"No training today." she answered. "We're going into town today to do some other things. That's why I let you sleep so long."

"Why are we going into town?" Jakus asked, puzzled at the turn of events. He was really hoping to train today.

"To go see Belethor about getting you a few new daggers." she answered, watching as the child's face lit up.

"Coooool!" he squealed as he jumped up and down in excitement. "Woo hoo!"

* * *

As they entered Whiterun, two children ran up to Jakus; a boy and a girl. The boy was Khajiit, his bushy tail following behind him. The girl was an Imperial with hair as brown as mud.

"Hi!" the girl greeted as she stopped. "My names Rashina, wanna play with us?" she asked. Her smile, bright as the sun, made Jakus smile too. Her dress was beautiful, something a princess would want.

"My name's Whiskatar. I am Khajiit, pleased to be meeting you." said the Khajiit boy. His fur was white as the snow around him. He was dressed in a fancy outfit, something only a rich child could afford.

"I...I'm Jakus..." Jakus said as he hid behind Lydia's legs. He was being bashful, keeping to his normality.

"Why are you scared?" the Khajiit asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"Sorry kids, he's new in town." Lydia stated as she raised Jakus onto her shoulders. "So you'll have to excuse his shyness. Well, we'll see you all later, but we have errands to run." and so they left the children and went on their way to Belethor's shop.

* * *

As Lydia and Jakus entered Belethor's shop, a tall man and a child were at the counter. They were both dressed in full black from head to toe. The child, not too much taller than Jakus, was not standing, but sitting upon the floor. The child seemed to be looking at Jakus, of that he was sure. The cloak over the child's face kept Jakus from seeing him, but he was positive that he was looking at him.

"Zekiev!" yelled the tall man at the child. The child quickly moved his head towards the man, revealing to Jakus part of his face. The boy quickly covered himself from Jakus, but Jakus knew what he saw. He saw the skin of a Dunmer, greenish grey.

The Dunmer child quickly rose from the floor and postured himself next to the man. "Sorry sir, just resting for a bit." he said with a whimpering voice. He sounded as though he were afraid of the man.

The man then grabbed the child's arm and quickly moved his own to his chest. In a quick puff of black smoke, they were both gone. Belethor's face, a face of anger, quickly transformed into an emotion of pure surprise. "What the hell?" he said.

"What's wrong?" asked Lydia, concerned about what had just happened. She, not even Jakus, had seen anything like what had just happened. People disappearing into black smoke, that's something that probably never happens in Whiterun, let alone Skyrim itself.

"Those damn Dark Elves didn't pay for their goods! How the hell am I to get enough cash to get another Daedric Bow?" he asked the Gods in an angry tone of voice. "Not to mention the fact that they took enough arrows to take down an army!" He was fuming mad, and Jakus could see this. He had never seen Belethor angry before, he had only seen a nice man giving him candy.

"If this is a bad time we can leave." said Lydia, concerned that Belethor may go on a rampage. She had seen many a man become enraged, and Belethor was a majority.

"Its fine," he assured "I'm just a little ticked. So, whatcha' need?" he asked.

"Well," Lydia began "I need some daggers for the lizard. I think three Iron will do for now." she said as she laid a few Septims on the counter. She and Jakus watched as Belethor took down three Iron daggers from a box on a shelf. Excited to use the daggers, Jakus immediately grabbed them and posed in a fighter's stance.

A sudden shock went across Jakus' face; he was frozen, unable to react to what was happening.

"This…is…the…first…step…towards…your…destiny…" echoed a voice in his head. It sounded as though it were hissing. It frightened the child; he had never heard this voice before.

"Who…who are you?" the child asked the voice.

"I…am…the…void…" it spoke, "I…am…Sithis…"


End file.
